I decided to start this blog four days after the city council meeting (November 2nd maybe a bit more than a year ago). So let me begin with a brief summary: The Jefferson City Council signed a contract with Allied Waste to pick up the garbage. Before the contract, residents had a choice in their garbage delivery: they could opt out, use a bag system, or subscribe to the service. The service included twice a week pickup with two ninety-five gallon garbage cans. The new contracted service no longer allows any resident to opt out, delivery is now only once a week, the cans are sixty-five gallons (so we lose fifty gallons of volume) and one of the cans is designated for recycling only--but no glass—so really our actual capacity is much smaller. The new service is also more expensive,
I did not even know about this issue.(Perhaps one reason why is because public comments are always at the end of long council meetings—but that’s another issue.) Nonetheless, I do not like the new system. Mandatory does not go well with me, the way the garbage cans are stacked up and down the streets (hence the blog's title--Attack of the Garbage Cans)does not go well with me, the way some cans are already overflowing because of the once a week delivery schedule does not go well with me, the hardship for many residents who cannot afford a mandatory pickup (and I need to let you know every unit in every duplex apartment unit and every home has to have a garbage can for the residents living there--you are not allowed to share garbage cans) does not go well with me.
I've asked around and I understand that even though this process has been ongoing for the last two years, few residents even knew anything about it.
I understand why. At the council meeting I spoke twice--once about the garbage can problem and again about a moratorium on new sidewalk construction. I would never have known about the sidewalk issue--what town does not want sidewalks?-- if I hadn't attended the meeting. Obviously the word did not get out.
VOTE YES ON PROP A.
Wednesday, March 30, 2011
Tuesday, March 22, 2011
Carrie Carroll Replies to This Blog
The following came from Carrie Carroll. Please refer to my blog,
"Carrie Carroll's Fact Sheet and My Rebuttals."
“My name is listed on the fact sheet which is information from the city's website and although I am not the author and cannot take the credit you has given me on your blog I agree with the facts that are stated and that I support our current plan. I am glad I was able to assist you in come corrections such as this does not apply to triplexes (and fourplexes and larger apartments) and it is a great example that people should be sure they are getting facts from verifiable sources.
"Thank you!
"Carrie
"Carrie Carroll
4th Ward City Council"
"Carrie Carroll's Fact Sheet and My Rebuttals."
“My name is listed on the fact sheet which is information from the city's website and although I am not the author and cannot take the credit you has given me on your blog I agree with the facts that are stated and that I support our current plan. I am glad I was able to assist you in come corrections such as this does not apply to triplexes (and fourplexes and larger apartments) and it is a great example that people should be sure they are getting facts from verifiable sources.
"Thank you!
"Carrie
"Carrie Carroll
4th Ward City Council"
Thursday, March 17, 2011
Why I'm Voting For Tyler Woods
Tyler Woods is definitely the best candidate for the First Ward. When I met with him recently he expressed amazement that city council members were paid monthly. He was prepared to volunteer. Already I was all ears.
It's very seldom to meet selfless individuals who care more about their community than they do themselves. He is one of them--willing to actually serve our community and work for the people, not the status quo.
I am not a one issue voter, but he is voting "yes" on Prop A (which this blog is all about). He also understands the community and is willing to go out of his way and meet everyone. He understands how the sound ordinance works, for example, and how the powers to be ignore it. He understands parking issues and how they impact on handicapped drivers.
I like that in a candidate--an open honesty and a willingness to do the best he can do.
What else impressed me--he gave out his contact info to everyone, he actually asked what issues concerned me, and he listened--and not the way a politician listens (what's in it for me), but how a human being should listen--with concern, empathy and understanding.
The present First Ward candidate has to give up his seat in two years due to procedural rules. Then the mayor can appoint someone he wants. Tyler Woods will be eligible for the entire eight years.
I'm voting for him.
If you need more reasons please read the following quote: “If I am elected, I promise to maintain a policy of open communication. This is one of the cornerstones of public service. (Please feel free to contact me: 573-230-3072 or tyler.m.woods@gmail.com.) I also promise to research all issues before taking action and to represent the First Ward to the best of my ability, but I cannot do this without you. Please vote for me—and better city government—April 5th.”
It's very seldom to meet selfless individuals who care more about their community than they do themselves. He is one of them--willing to actually serve our community and work for the people, not the status quo.
I am not a one issue voter, but he is voting "yes" on Prop A (which this blog is all about). He also understands the community and is willing to go out of his way and meet everyone. He understands how the sound ordinance works, for example, and how the powers to be ignore it. He understands parking issues and how they impact on handicapped drivers.
I like that in a candidate--an open honesty and a willingness to do the best he can do.
What else impressed me--he gave out his contact info to everyone, he actually asked what issues concerned me, and he listened--and not the way a politician listens (what's in it for me), but how a human being should listen--with concern, empathy and understanding.
The present First Ward candidate has to give up his seat in two years due to procedural rules. Then the mayor can appoint someone he wants. Tyler Woods will be eligible for the entire eight years.
I'm voting for him.
If you need more reasons please read the following quote: “If I am elected, I promise to maintain a policy of open communication. This is one of the cornerstones of public service. (Please feel free to contact me: 573-230-3072 or tyler.m.woods@gmail.com.) I also promise to research all issues before taking action and to represent the First Ward to the best of my ability, but I cannot do this without you. Please vote for me—and better city government—April 5th.”
Friday, March 11, 2011
Town Hall Meeting Tomorrow
The Citizen's Action Committee Against Ordinance Number 14487--the trash ordinance on the ballot as Prop. A--will hold an informational meeting about the proposition Saturday, March 12th, from 10:00AM to 12:00PM at Johnny's Buthcher Shop, 2314 Lorenzo Green Road in Jeff City.
Vote yes for Prop A.
Vote yes for Prop A.
Contact Info
I would like to contact someone in reference to Prop. A prior to the election. Apparently the city is not willing to clarify exactlty what is meant and involved here and I am grossly unhappy about this. Please post info for the general public on how to contact! How can I contact the troops AGAINST this "forcing residents to take trash service"? THANK YOU.
Contact Arthur Brown at 353-3039 or 635-7207.
Contact Arthur Brown at 353-3039 or 635-7207.
Tuesday, March 8, 2011
Corrections for Carrie Carroll's Fact Sheet and My Rebuttals Carrie Carroll's Fact Sheet and My Rebuttals
Another correction: The mandatory garbage collection only applies to single and duplex residents. So I am right about one thing--it will cost thirty dollars per month for each duplex. This is still more money than in the county.
Jefferson City Mayor John Landwehr said, "We included duplexes because I own a few."
Jefferson City Mayor John Landwehr said, "We included duplexes because I own a few."
Monday, March 7, 2011
You have been invited to join Citizens Action Committee Against 14487
You have been invited to join Citizens Action Committee Against 14487
_____________________________________________
The GLOVES are off and this site supports a YES vote on PROP A, April 5, 2011! Please visit, join and contribute!
Click this link to join: http://talkingtrash14487.webs.com/apps/auth/confirm?inviteID=99655822&hash=28a6137918373952825a554282656916&action=accept
_____________________________________________
The GLOVES are off and this site supports a YES vote on PROP A, April 5, 2011! Please visit, join and contribute!
Click this link to join: http://talkingtrash14487.webs.com/apps/auth/confirm?inviteID=99655822&hash=28a6137918373952825a554282656916&action=accept
Corrections and Updates for Carrie Carroll's Fact Sheet and My Rebuttals Carrie Carroll's Fact Sheet and My Rebuttals
This from Ray Walker:
(My original comments are in parenthesis.)
Michael,
Good job!
And thanks for asking about some of the content at
http://attackofthegarbagecans.blogspot.com/2011/03/carrie-carrolls-fact-sheet-and-my.html
Per the section containing:
Since the city began its current trash and recycling collection, more than 2 million pounds of solid waste has been kept out of the city landfill, extending its life and postponing a very costly replacement.
(We are leasing the city's landfill to Allied Waste. The city, according to the contract, still shares responsiblities for its upkeep.)
Per the deed file at the County Recorder's office, The City of Jefferson does NOT own, nor never has owned, the land fill. The title that appears can lead one to believe the city does or did, but the fact is that Allied, now Republic, owns the landfill by way of owning the actual shell company that owns the landfill. We have those documents. They are public documents at the Recorder's office so I obtained them and Arthur has filed them.
Per the section containing:
If PROPOSITION A passes, the city will be in violation of its current trash contract with Allied Waste Services (Republic Services) and could face costly legal action. Termination of the trash agreement would mean city residents and businesses would also have no price control over trash service. It is estimated the residential rates will increase. It is unlikely that any new competitors will enter the market. Residents in the unincorporated areas of the county where there are no limits pay 75 percent more than city residents. There would also be no curbside recycling service.
(According to the contract, there is no real price control now. Before we could dump items on Dix Road for as low as twenty dollars a truck load. The current price is sixty-five dollars and up. I understand this price is going up in April.)
What is being overlooked by ALL concerned with defeating Prop A is that this effort is NOT, never has been, about ending the mandatory pick up of garbage. That was included in the ordinance at the same time as the "authorized collector" phrase which we are seeking to remove.
AND also wholesomely being overlooked is that the contract contains the clause that requires Allied to submit a request to the city council for a rate increase. SO THEREFORE: If the rates increase, the city council will have voted to increase them!
AND further overlooked, and egregiously so, is the section 37.1 Force Majeure (see page 23 of the contract, if you have a copy from the start up days) in that the passage of Prop A will be caused by a contingency beyond a party's reasonable control, to wit, compliance with applicable laws or government orders! This is the clause that brings scorn from the city attorney in that, in my opinion, he seems to feel any government controls the people rather than the other way around!
AND also overlooked is the fact that many sections of the contract are NOT being enforced or are being ignored or are in breach! In breach would be section 2.2 Exclusivity of Yard Waste, page 7, where there was NOT a single action by city council to remove this section. And according to the modification clause, section 34, page23, the only way parts of the agreement can be considered modified, altered, change, assigned, or amended in any respect unless in writing and signed by the parties hereto. The city council never passed an ordinance permitting modifying the contract per 2.2 when it awarded the current yard waste contract and did Allied sign such an agreement to modification???
Per the section containing references to fire services:
No one recalls that fire services were once provided by private fire companies similar to the way trash is being handle now-a-days. But did the city allow that to go on?
(My original comments are in parenthesis.)
Michael,
Good job!
And thanks for asking about some of the content at
http://attackofthegarbagecans.blogspot.com/2011/03/carrie-carrolls-fact-sheet-and-my.html
Per the section containing:
Since the city began its current trash and recycling collection, more than 2 million pounds of solid waste has been kept out of the city landfill, extending its life and postponing a very costly replacement.
(We are leasing the city's landfill to Allied Waste. The city, according to the contract, still shares responsiblities for its upkeep.)
Per the deed file at the County Recorder's office, The City of Jefferson does NOT own, nor never has owned, the land fill. The title that appears can lead one to believe the city does or did, but the fact is that Allied, now Republic, owns the landfill by way of owning the actual shell company that owns the landfill. We have those documents. They are public documents at the Recorder's office so I obtained them and Arthur has filed them.
Per the section containing:
If PROPOSITION A passes, the city will be in violation of its current trash contract with Allied Waste Services (Republic Services) and could face costly legal action. Termination of the trash agreement would mean city residents and businesses would also have no price control over trash service. It is estimated the residential rates will increase. It is unlikely that any new competitors will enter the market. Residents in the unincorporated areas of the county where there are no limits pay 75 percent more than city residents. There would also be no curbside recycling service.
(According to the contract, there is no real price control now. Before we could dump items on Dix Road for as low as twenty dollars a truck load. The current price is sixty-five dollars and up. I understand this price is going up in April.)
What is being overlooked by ALL concerned with defeating Prop A is that this effort is NOT, never has been, about ending the mandatory pick up of garbage. That was included in the ordinance at the same time as the "authorized collector" phrase which we are seeking to remove.
AND also wholesomely being overlooked is that the contract contains the clause that requires Allied to submit a request to the city council for a rate increase. SO THEREFORE: If the rates increase, the city council will have voted to increase them!
AND further overlooked, and egregiously so, is the section 37.1 Force Majeure (see page 23 of the contract, if you have a copy from the start up days) in that the passage of Prop A will be caused by a contingency beyond a party's reasonable control, to wit, compliance with applicable laws or government orders! This is the clause that brings scorn from the city attorney in that, in my opinion, he seems to feel any government controls the people rather than the other way around!
AND also overlooked is the fact that many sections of the contract are NOT being enforced or are being ignored or are in breach! In breach would be section 2.2 Exclusivity of Yard Waste, page 7, where there was NOT a single action by city council to remove this section. And according to the modification clause, section 34, page23, the only way parts of the agreement can be considered modified, altered, change, assigned, or amended in any respect unless in writing and signed by the parties hereto. The city council never passed an ordinance permitting modifying the contract per 2.2 when it awarded the current yard waste contract and did Allied sign such an agreement to modification???
Per the section containing references to fire services:
No one recalls that fire services were once provided by private fire companies similar to the way trash is being handle now-a-days. But did the city allow that to go on?
Saturday, March 5, 2011
Carrie Carroll's Fact Sheet and My Rebuttals
Below is the Fact Sheet from Carrie Carroll printed on City Of Jefferson City letterhead (though you cannot see the city's symbol in this pasted copy). My comments are in parenthesis.
(My first question--Who paid for this?)
City of Jefferson
FACT SHEET
320 East McCarty
Jefferson City, MO 65101
Contact: Michelle Gleba
(573) 634-6377
mgleba@jeffcitymo.org
On April 5, 2011 Jefferson City voters will be asked to vote on Proposition A. The purpose of this fact sheet is to educate voters about the issue. The ballot language will appear as follows:
PROPOSITION A
Shall the City Code (Chapter 30, Sections 1 and 2) of the City of Jefferson be amended by retaining the requirement that every residence have trash service but eliminating that trash only be collected by an authorized collector?
What will be the effect of PROPOSITION A if it passes?
If PROPOSITION A passes, the city will be in violation of its current trash contract with Allied Waste Services (Republic Services) and could face costly legal action. Termination of the trash agreement would mean city residents and businesses would also have no price control over trash service. It is estimated the residential rates will increase. It is unlikely that any new competitors will enter the market. Residents in the unincorporated areas of the county where there are no limits pay 75 percent more than city residents. There would also be no curbside recycling service.
(According to the contract, there is no real price control now. Before we could dump items on Dix Road for as low as twenty dollars a truck load. The current price is sixty-five dollars and up. I understand this price is going up in April.
Furthermore, there are aspects of the contract that are clearly questionable--everyone regardless of need is forced to pay the same price. Mandatory garbage pick up for each unit and household is the crux of the problem.
Mandatory. That one word is the issue. Vote yes on Proposition A.)
What is citywide trash collection?
Citywide trash collection simply means every resident receives trash collection services including curbside recycling. Trash collection is a municipal responsibility to taxpayers — similar to providing police, fire, snow removal, sewer and other essential municipal services.
(The problem: Yes, we need trash collection, but trash collection that meets the needs of the residents, not trash collection that meets the needs of greedy city and corporate individuals.
"Proxy Statement Filing Years - 2010
Republic Services, Inc. filed the compensation data below on 4/1/2010
James E. O’Connor--2009 Total compensation: 5,676,620
Donald W. Slager--2009 Total compensation: 3,760,792
Tod C. Holmes--2009 Total compensation: 2,097,605
Michael P. Rissman--2009 Total compensation: 812,417
Timothy R. Donovan--2009 Total compensation: 4,841,278
*The above executive compensation data is an excerpt from the proxy statement filed for Republic Services, Inc. on 4/1/2010")
What are the benefits of citywide trash collection?
• The community is cleaner. Trash is removed promptly and not stored on site.
(Garbage falls out of cans and goes all over the ground because robot arms lift up the garbage without regard to litter missing the truck.)
• Illegal burning and illegal dumping in parks, farms and commercial dumpsters are eliminated.
(Legal burning is allowed from November 15 to March 15.)
• The price per household is significantly lower than outside the city.
• Since the city began its current trash and recycling collection, more than 2 million pounds of solid waste has been kept out of the city landfill, extending its life and postponing a very costly replacement.
(We are leasing the city's landfill to Allied Waste. The city, according to the contract, still shares the responsibility for its upkeep.)
Is citywide trash management unusual?
Not at all. The Missouri Municipal League reports that 86 percent of more than 400 cities in Missouri have mandatory service and that number is on the rise. According to a study conducted in 2009, nineteen out of 21 cities in Missouri similar in size to Jefferson City have citywide trash service in which all residents participate.
How did we choose the current system?
In an effort to learn whether residents wanted curbside recycling, the city conducted a pilot program for three months that involved approximately 250 residents. The surveys conducted afterward were overwhelmingly favorable.
The contract with Allied Waste Services was due to expire in 2009. The city opened up the new contract to dozens of potential bidders and conducted a closed bid process. After extensive negotiations and numerous public sessions, the city entered into a contract with Allied Waste Services in November 2009 to offer its residents citywide trash collection and curbside recycling at an affordable price. In order to maintain price controls the contract term runs for six years, ending in 2015.
(Less capacity and not as frequent pick up. How was this better for the city? A closed bid process? What happened to democracy and transparent and open government?)
How do Jefferson City rates compare with other cities, and with areas of the county outside the city?
Jefferson City trash rates are below average. Residents pay on average $15 per month.
(We pay more. Usual rates are per building--never unit. A three unit apartment would have service for the building at fifteen dollars, not the current forty-five. Thus we pay more.)
Residents living in unincorporated areas of the county pay an average of $25 per month and they have no curbside recycling.
(They do not pay per unit.)
What happened to the bags?
Individual trash bag service is no longer available from any major solid waste company. In the past, the cost of bags was heavily subsidized by other users. Bag service is not practical and is very expensive due to the high labor costs associated with having two workers on every truck and the incidence of injuries. Automatic pickup service using bins is the most economical way to pick up residential trash. Plus it reduces the number of plastic bags going into landfills.
(The City of Columbia has affordable trash collection and they use bags.
So do quite a few suburbs in Chicago. In Highland Park, for example, trash collection can be as cheap at eight dollars a month.)
Why do I pay the same even if I have just a small amount of trash?
Actually, the volume of the trash is only one small component of cost (less than 10 percent). Most of the cost is associated with the equipment, fuel and labor that is required to pick up trash at the curb, regardless of how much trash is picked up.
(Actually the city and Allied Waste are ripping us off. We pay more now because we are forced to pay per unit.)
(Vote yes on Proposition A.)
(My first question--Who paid for this?)
City of Jefferson
FACT SHEET
320 East McCarty
Jefferson City, MO 65101
Contact: Michelle Gleba
(573) 634-6377
mgleba@jeffcitymo.org
On April 5, 2011 Jefferson City voters will be asked to vote on Proposition A. The purpose of this fact sheet is to educate voters about the issue. The ballot language will appear as follows:
PROPOSITION A
Shall the City Code (Chapter 30, Sections 1 and 2) of the City of Jefferson be amended by retaining the requirement that every residence have trash service but eliminating that trash only be collected by an authorized collector?
What will be the effect of PROPOSITION A if it passes?
If PROPOSITION A passes, the city will be in violation of its current trash contract with Allied Waste Services (Republic Services) and could face costly legal action. Termination of the trash agreement would mean city residents and businesses would also have no price control over trash service. It is estimated the residential rates will increase. It is unlikely that any new competitors will enter the market. Residents in the unincorporated areas of the county where there are no limits pay 75 percent more than city residents. There would also be no curbside recycling service.
(According to the contract, there is no real price control now. Before we could dump items on Dix Road for as low as twenty dollars a truck load. The current price is sixty-five dollars and up. I understand this price is going up in April.
Furthermore, there are aspects of the contract that are clearly questionable--everyone regardless of need is forced to pay the same price. Mandatory garbage pick up for each unit and household is the crux of the problem.
Mandatory. That one word is the issue. Vote yes on Proposition A.)
What is citywide trash collection?
Citywide trash collection simply means every resident receives trash collection services including curbside recycling. Trash collection is a municipal responsibility to taxpayers — similar to providing police, fire, snow removal, sewer and other essential municipal services.
(The problem: Yes, we need trash collection, but trash collection that meets the needs of the residents, not trash collection that meets the needs of greedy city and corporate individuals.
"Proxy Statement Filing Years - 2010
Republic Services, Inc. filed the compensation data below on 4/1/2010
James E. O’Connor--2009 Total compensation: 5,676,620
Donald W. Slager--2009 Total compensation: 3,760,792
Tod C. Holmes--2009 Total compensation: 2,097,605
Michael P. Rissman--2009 Total compensation: 812,417
Timothy R. Donovan--2009 Total compensation: 4,841,278
*The above executive compensation data is an excerpt from the proxy statement filed for Republic Services, Inc. on 4/1/2010")
What are the benefits of citywide trash collection?
• The community is cleaner. Trash is removed promptly and not stored on site.
(Garbage falls out of cans and goes all over the ground because robot arms lift up the garbage without regard to litter missing the truck.)
• Illegal burning and illegal dumping in parks, farms and commercial dumpsters are eliminated.
(Legal burning is allowed from November 15 to March 15.)
• The price per household is significantly lower than outside the city.
• Since the city began its current trash and recycling collection, more than 2 million pounds of solid waste has been kept out of the city landfill, extending its life and postponing a very costly replacement.
(We are leasing the city's landfill to Allied Waste. The city, according to the contract, still shares the responsibility for its upkeep.)
Is citywide trash management unusual?
Not at all. The Missouri Municipal League reports that 86 percent of more than 400 cities in Missouri have mandatory service and that number is on the rise. According to a study conducted in 2009, nineteen out of 21 cities in Missouri similar in size to Jefferson City have citywide trash service in which all residents participate.
How did we choose the current system?
In an effort to learn whether residents wanted curbside recycling, the city conducted a pilot program for three months that involved approximately 250 residents. The surveys conducted afterward were overwhelmingly favorable.
The contract with Allied Waste Services was due to expire in 2009. The city opened up the new contract to dozens of potential bidders and conducted a closed bid process. After extensive negotiations and numerous public sessions, the city entered into a contract with Allied Waste Services in November 2009 to offer its residents citywide trash collection and curbside recycling at an affordable price. In order to maintain price controls the contract term runs for six years, ending in 2015.
(Less capacity and not as frequent pick up. How was this better for the city? A closed bid process? What happened to democracy and transparent and open government?)
How do Jefferson City rates compare with other cities, and with areas of the county outside the city?
Jefferson City trash rates are below average. Residents pay on average $15 per month.
(We pay more. Usual rates are per building--never unit. A three unit apartment would have service for the building at fifteen dollars, not the current forty-five. Thus we pay more.)
Residents living in unincorporated areas of the county pay an average of $25 per month and they have no curbside recycling.
(They do not pay per unit.)
What happened to the bags?
Individual trash bag service is no longer available from any major solid waste company. In the past, the cost of bags was heavily subsidized by other users. Bag service is not practical and is very expensive due to the high labor costs associated with having two workers on every truck and the incidence of injuries. Automatic pickup service using bins is the most economical way to pick up residential trash. Plus it reduces the number of plastic bags going into landfills.
(The City of Columbia has affordable trash collection and they use bags.
So do quite a few suburbs in Chicago. In Highland Park, for example, trash collection can be as cheap at eight dollars a month.)
Why do I pay the same even if I have just a small amount of trash?
Actually, the volume of the trash is only one small component of cost (less than 10 percent). Most of the cost is associated with the equipment, fuel and labor that is required to pick up trash at the curb, regardless of how much trash is picked up.
(Actually the city and Allied Waste are ripping us off. We pay more now because we are forced to pay per unit.)
(Vote yes on Proposition A.)
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